


Absolutely Not (Definitely Yes)

by Squeemish



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Ficlet, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Marriage Proposal, kinda very ooc?, set in season 2, sometime after The Wire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-09 03:56:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16442531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squeemish/pseuds/Squeemish
Summary: Julian is taken aback by Garak's suggestion.





	Absolutely Not (Definitely Yes)

**Author's Note:**

> Idea from [this post by Whomerlockwood!](https://whomerlockwood.tumblr.com/post/179463891222/for-a-brief-second-i-thought-it-was-a-photoshop)

He couldn't breathe.

“I realize this might be a bit shocking to you,” Garak said, matter of fact. He was on his knees, intent in his stare, gently holding Julian’s right hand in both of his. ”As much as it is to me as well.”

“I-, I-, uhm-” Julian gaped around the words, hoping get some air into his lungs. Garak scuttled closer, urgency in the way he squeezed his hand.

“If your doubt comes from the belief I’m not sincere…” He stopped to swallow, bowing a little in admission, “I- I wouldn’t blame you, but please know that there is no deception in my words in this moment. That nothing would give me greater pleasure than to spend a life devoted to you.” Heat crept up to Julian’s cheeks. After a year of lunches and other shenanigans, he could very comfortably call Garak a strange, ridiculous man. Especially now. Kneeled like that. Saying things like _that_ .

“You can’t possibly be serious?” Julian managed to stammer in between gawks. His hand felt sweaty, and _oh God_ , Garak better not have noticed. ”We’re not even- I mean, we haven’t-” Garak shook his head.

“But, Doctor, I am. These things are serious, to Cardassians at least. I wouldn’t present myself in such a way to you if it were not truly a deep desire in my heart to do so.”

Blotches of light flickered in Julian’s eyes and danced a merry circle around Garak’s very serious looking one’s. _Oh God_. He meant it.

“I won’t be offended if you can’t find it in yourself to accept. There are no advantages to associating so closely with me, I have no illusions of that.” Garak smiled, lopsided, ”All I have to offer is myself, plain and simple as I am.”

Julian stared, mouth hanging open. An insane, preposterous suggestion. They weren’t a couple. He barely knew him, absolutely didn’t trust him, except on the common occasion he absolutely did, and definitely did not in any way entertain the idea of agreeing. Even though he loved him. Absolutely, deeply and unreasonably. The feeling thrummed in his chest now, made his head spin as cold shivers ran up from his palm where Garak’s cool fingers touched.

Garak observed Julian’s frozen shock from under his brows. As the silence continued his shoulders slumped, and with a quiet cough he looked away.

“I hope that, regardless of your answer, we may continue our lunches together?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Garak closed his eyes and let go, turning his head, “I'm sorry for any discomfort my outburst has caused--”

“ _Yes_.” Julian repeated, eyes wide and clear as breathed in and exhaled, “I’ll… I’ll marry you.” Garak’s eyes snapped open, then narrowed.

“You will?” Julian nodded. Garak opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.

“I… I see. Well. Hm.” Clearing his throat Garak rose, smoothed a few imaginary wrinkles off his shirt with one hand, while the other swept his hair back from impossibly neat to incomprehensibly neat. He stepped closer, leaned forward, and laid a soft, hesitant kiss right in the corner of Julian’s mouth.

Julian yanked him into a tight embrace, smashed their lips together and wound his arms around Garak’s waist. Garak yelped against his mouth and clung on, feet left dangling few inches above the floor. Julian swayed him in the air, then with an obscene smack withdrew for a shaky breath and plopped Garak back onto his feet. Garak blinked slowly, happy crinkles in the corners of his eyes, lips kissed thoroughly into a dazed grin. Quite like a self satisfied cat facing a lifetime supply of cream, and Julian might’ve been charmed had the room not swirled in circles around him. He cupped Garak’s cheeks.

“Garak.”

“Yes, my dear?”

“I’m going to faint now.”

“Of course, dear- hm?”

Garak’s confused frown was the last thing he saw before crashing face first into his arms.

  


**Author's Note:**

> I feel like early seasons' Julian would be prone to swooning, just from the sheer amount of emotion stored in that tiny little body.


End file.
